Senior home evacuated late at night for household chemical spill

The Marshfield Fire Department helped clean up a potentially hazardous household chemical spill in a senior home late Friday evening. Residents were evacuated and have now been safely returned home.(Photo: Getty Images)

MARSHFIELD - Senior home residents were evacuated late Friday night as the fire department responded to a household chemical spill causing an acidic odor.

Four people were transported for medical treatment, according to Jody Clements, deputy chief with the Marshfield Fire Department. They included two police officers who have since been released and two residents of the senior home, Cedar Rail apartments.Injuries were not life-threatening, Clements said.

A call came in shortly after 9 p.m. Friday night for an unknown odor, Clements said. Responders found an acidic odor in the first-floor hallway of the home at 601 S. Cedar Ave. The smell was found to be coming from a single apartment.

A reaction between two household chemicals — acetone and bleach — created a hazardous vapor with the potential for respiratory problems, Clements said.

All residents were evacuated and have since returned to the building. The air was cleared by 1 a.m. Saturday morning and residents were returned home by 2 a.m. with help from the fire department, Clements said. During the evacuation, another nearby senior home took in the Cedar Rail residents.

Responders began to ventilate the air immediately upon arrival, Clements said.Crews bagged and removed any affected materials and cleaned and neutralized the floor in the apartment.

Clements said the air quality inside the building is no longer a hazard to residents. A plan was put in place for the affected apartment to ensure everything is 100 percent mitigated, Clements said.

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